With ten minutes left until the second stage’s deadline, there was ample time.
Ling Xiao showed no intention of leaving, as if waiting for something.
Dai Yuling, Leng Hao, and Shangguan Lei found it odd but, trusting Ling Xiao, stayed silent and waited with him.
“Chirp chirp!”
Suddenly, a massive bat appeared in everyone’s view.
“Is that the Vampire Bat King from before?”
Leng Hao recognised it instantly as the Vampire Bat King Ling Xiao had trapped in the beast ring!
The key, however, wasn’t the bat but the chest clutched in its claws.
“Heh, time to split the loot!” Ling Xiao said with a smile.
“No way, Brother Ling, you had the Vampire Bat King swap the treasure chest? No wonder Wang Nan got a fake one!” Leng Hao said, astonished.
“If they had worked together with me, I’d have split the loot evenly. But they tried to lure the Five-Faced Monster to kill me. If not for my superior movement, forcing them to join me in killing it, I’d probably be dead by now,” Ling Xiao said coldly. “So, they won’t get a single thing from this chest!”
As he spoke, Ling Xiao opened the chest.
He then released the Vampire Bat King.
But now, the bat was under Ling Xiao’s soul control, effectively a hidden pawn he’d planted in the Moonlight Pagoda.
This tactic was inspired by Demon Flame Heavenly Venerate.
He wouldn’t use fellow disciples as puppets, but the monsters already here were fair game.
Most of the chest’s contents were spirit fruits and herbs.
There was also a Five-Faced Monster sealing card, which Ling Xiao naturally kept.
Among the dozen or so spirit fruits and herbs, two were exceptional, equivalent to low-grade yellow-tier spirit pills.
Their value surpassed even top-grade gold-tier martial arts!
Martial arts could become outdated, but these spirit fruits offered lifelong benefits.
The two fruits were Fire Spirit Fruit and Water Spirit Fruit.
Fire Spirit Fruit had two effects: strengthening and tempering the body for greater fire resistance, and boosting fire-attribute inner strength to aid cultivation breakthroughs.
One Fire Spirit Fruit could let a martial artist below Mortal Realm Seventh Layer break through a major realm, though it could only be used once per person.
Water Spirit Fruit had similar effects, enhancing water-attribute resistance and inner strength.
There were ten of each, twenty in total. Ling Xiao took fourteen, giving the remaining six to Dai Yuling, Leng Hao, and Shangguan Lei.
He could exclude Bai Feifei and the others, but these three deserved a share.
As for the other spirit fruits and herbs, he kept them all. Though less effective when consumed directly, they could be used to refine pills. Since he knew alchemy, he could refine superior pills later to reward these three.
“To the next stage! I’ll first find suitable cultivation spots for you three. Consume the fruits and cultivate there. By the time we leave the Moonlight Pagoda, all three of you should reach Mortal Realm Sixth Layer!”
This wasn’t impossible. Lower cultivation meant faster progress, especially with the pagoda’s spiritual energy, over ten times denser than outside, plus the spirit fruits’ aid.
“Got it!”
The three had no objections to Ling Xiao’s plan.
If they followed him to the third stage, they’d likely only burden him. Better to find a safe spot to cultivate.
The third stage, dubbed the “Forbidden Zone of Life,” had a harsh environment.
But harsher conditions often aided martial artists’ cultivation.
Leng Hao’s true essence was water-aligned, so Ling Xiao led him to a shimmering lake.
Using the Mountain River Map, Ling Xiao could clearly scout the Forbidden Zone’s terrain, as its range was within fifty li, while his map covered up to a hundred li.
No problem at all.
“The spiritual energy here is incredible! It feels like the mountains and waters are constantly surging with it. Amazing!”
As the four landed, Leng Hao exclaimed in awe.
“Naturally. The second stage’s spiritual energy was over ten times denser than outside, but here it’s over twenty times denser. Cultivation speed will soar!” Ling Xiao nodded.
“Thanks for your help, Brother Ling. Once we’re out, I, Leng Hao, will serve you with utmost loyalty!”
Leng Hao suddenly bowed earnestly.
“No big deal. I’m never stingy with friends,” Ling Xiao said with a faint smile.
Leng Hao was a genius, with talent rivaling Ming Tian’s, worth nurturing as a future ally for guarding the Divine Sword Sect.
Ling Xiao took out an array stone and some materials he’d brought, setting up a small formation around the lake.
“Alright, Leng Hao, this formation may look simple, but it’ll keep you hidden from beasts below level eight. Above that, you’re on your own.”
“Understood, Brother Ling. I’ll stay cautious. Reaching the third stage is already lucky. I’ll hold out as long as I can,” Leng Hao nodded.
“Go cultivate!”
After arranging for Leng Hao, Ling Xiao took Dai Yuling and Shangguan Lei to their own suitable cultivation spots.
With ideal locations, Fire and Water Spirit Fruits, and a top-grade True Essence Pill from Ling Xiao, breaking through was certain.
How far they’d advance, however, was uncertain.
Meanwhile, dozens of li away, in a dark underground city.
“Never thought this would be the Spider God Queen’s subterranean city. Looks like my luck’s not bad, Dantai Lingzi!”
The legendary Spider God Queen was the queen of the Spider Kingdom in the Primordial Era.
Back when dragons ruled the entire Mysterious Realm, all kingdoms were founded by primordial beasts, and humans were mere prey.
The Spider God Queen was just one queen among countless beast kingdoms.
But her power far surpassed what modern martial artists could match.
With her Parasitic Spider Martial Soul, if Dantai Lingzi could cultivate here, even a trace of the Spider God Queen’s aura would bring immense benefits.
Already at the peak of Mortal Realm Eighth Layer, she hoped this cultivation would push her to Mortal Realm Ninth Layer!
Of course, greater opportunities came with greater risks.
But Dantai Lingzi wouldn’t pass this up. She occasionally thought of Ling Xiao. If she hesitated due to fear, how could she ever surpass him?
Ling Xiao’s progress was staggering, so she couldn’t afford to stop. She had to maintain her lead in cultivation.
